Why Are Seniors More Vulnerable to Identity Theft?

By superadmin | August 30, 2017 |

Home Care in Middletown NJ: Seniors and Identity Theft

Experts estimate that nearly 15.5 million people throughout the United States are impacted by identity theft each year, with the number increasing each year. The scope of technology and its commonplace position in our daily lives has made identity theft a much more common, and unfortunately, a much easier crime, and as a family caregiver it is important that you recognize that senior adults are among the most vulnerable to this form of theft.

Seniors are more vulnerable to identity theft than younger people for a variety of reasons, including:

Seniors tend to be less familiar with how technology works and what to look for when considering if a website or email is safe. This can put them at risk of clicking links or inputting personal information into places that they should not.
Elderly adults grew up in a time when people were taught to be trusting, respectful, and cooperative. This means that it can be extremely difficult for them to turn someone away when they are trying to sell something, sign your parents up for something, or elicit a donation. Unfortunately, scam artists know this and use fraudulent versions of these techniques to steal from seniors.
Many older adults are dealing with cognitive functioning decline, such as with Alzheimer’s disease, and therefore may be easily confused or persuaded. They can easily be encouraged to think that they signed up for something or ordered something and that it is time to pay for it, or that they are in need of services such as a “computer check” or “financial review” from a company that sounds legitimate, but is really only looking to steal their personal information and gain access to their computer and their financial accounts.
Seniors are less likely to be vigilant about their finances in the up-to-the-minute ways that younger adults are. While younger people tend to have alerts for financial transactions and check in on their accounts daily, seniors may wait until they receive statements in the mail and lose time in which they could detect a problem.

If you have been trying to find ways to enhance your parent’s life while also ensuring that they are getting all of the assistance that they need to remain healthy, happy, safe, and comfortable, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting home care for them. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your elderly loved one on a customized schedule that ensures that they are there for them when your parent needs them, while also keeping you at the forefront of their care routine. The highly personalized services of a home care provider are tailored to specifically address your parent’s individual needs, challenges, and limitations while also helping them to live a lifestyle that is as active, engaged, and independent as possible. Even if your parent’s needs are not serious and they are already able to live a largely independent lifestyle, home care can enable them to save time and energy, engage in more activities and events, remain more mentally and physically active, and seek a quality of life that is more fulfilling throughout their later years.